Chapter 162: Chapter 162: The Gaokao Top Scorer

The wound felt a little hot. The medicine he’d applied during the day had probably been washed away by sweat.

Even though he was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, he knew he had to make this call.

If he didn’t, that little girl of his would surely raise hell later.

The temporary place he was staying in wasn’t large; it was quite cramped.

But even with the tight space, no one in the family cared about such trivial things.

Right now, what mattered most wasn’t comfort, but being together and being safe.

The whole family was still awake when the phone rang.

The lights in the room were on, and the TV was playing to an empty audience.

Everyone sat in their own corners, each silently worrying about the one who was still out there.

The moment it rang, everyone’s attention immediately snapped to the phone.

As soon as they heard Ling Anxun’s voice, their first reaction was to call for Shanshan.

"Dad! Are you really okay? Uncle Xiao Zhou said you were hurt. Did you get the medicine? Have you used it? Does it still hurt now?"

Shanshan practically threw herself in front of the phone.

Her eyes were fixed on the floor, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her clothes.

Ling Anxun could tell she was putting on a brave face, but a warmth still spread through his chest.

After reassuring her with a few words, he passed the phone to Ling Zhenkang.

The two of them started talking business. Ling Anxun briefly and concisely explained his physical condition.

After confirming it was nothing serious, they moved on to discuss professional matters.

The person on the other end nodded frequently as they listened, occasionally interjecting to confirm details. The entire call lasted for over ten minutes.

Only after the call ended did the family begin to process everything.

The initial tension dissipated, and emotions slowly began to surface.

The atmosphere in the room instantly relaxed.

"My goodness, this call is all thanks to Shanshan! If it weren’t for her quick thinking, with your dad’s personality, who knows how long it would’ve taken him to remember to call."

Everyone praised her one after another, their eyes filled with relief and pride.

Although she was being praised, Shanshan didn’t feel particularly happy.

’Her mind was still racing, wondering why her dad’s tone of voice had sounded so strange just now.’

’It was clearly his familiar voice, but certain pauses, the way he took a breath... something just felt different from usual.’

But she couldn’t put her finger on it. Ling Anxun had left no obvious tells.

This wasn’t over yet. The people on the other side had already arranged for a car to take the family home first.

Shanshan wanted to stay and wait for him so they could leave together.

But her family was worried and insisted on taking her with them, practically dragging and coaxing her away.

To keep Shanshan’s mind off things,

the whole family started chattering about her college entrance exam scores.

The change of topic was sudden, but perfectly timed.

She was a bit distracted at first, but after being asked so many questions, she eventually joined the conversation. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The original plan had been to check her scores after returning from their trip. But since they came back early, they could only wait for several days until the results were released.

The atmosphere at home was peculiar during those few days.

On the surface, life went on as usual, but in reality, everyone was secretly keeping a close eye on the clock.

On the day of the release, no one in the family went to work or school; they all stayed home, waiting.

A crowd gathered around the phone, just waiting to call the results hotline.

The moment the time came, Mrs. Ling immediately dialed the number. Her hand was shaking a little, and she had to redial several times before the call went through.

"Student Ling Xueshan, your score is... seven hundred and thirty-nine points! Congratulations on becoming this year’s top scorer for the Jing City college entrance exam!"

The voice on the other end of the line was trembling with excitement.

The room instantly erupted into chaos.

As everyone was excitedly chattering, Ling Zhiwei suddenly threw open the door and rushed outside.

"My sister is the top scorer! Did you hear me? Ling Xueshan! A raw score of seven hundred and thirty-nine! Number one! Number one in the whole city!"

Previously, some people had been whispering behind their backs, saying it was a bit much for Shanshan to take the college entrance exam at such a young age.

Now they had all shut their mouths, completely and utterly humiliated.

Those who had once made sarcastic remarks no longer dared to speak up; they would even take a detour to avoid the Ling family’s relatives.

Rumors die in the face of reality, and the score was right there for all to see.

No one could deny that this was a genuine, hard-earned achievement.

While Ling Zhiwei was shouting the news all over the courtyard, things were just as busy inside the house.

"My niece! The top scorer in the college entrance exam! Number one in the entire province!"

Old Master Ling Zhenkang commandeered the landline, calling one relative and friend after another to share the good news.

"Hey, guess what? Our Shanshan did it! She’s the top scorer! I’m not kidding!"

The person on the other end didn’t believe it at first, only accepting the fact after confirming it several times.

With every call the old man finished, the smile on his face grew wider.

Whenever someone mentioned Shanshan’s name, his tone was filled with unconcealable pride.

On the afternoon the scores were released,

several top universities sent representatives to their home, all vying to recruit Shanshan.

Each offered better terms than the last.

Shanshan saw through them at a glance; a few of the universities had clearly and secretly reduced the benefits they had previously discussed, hoping to pull a fast one.

She noticed that one contract had removed the clauses about the international exchange program.

In another document, the amount specified for the research start-up fund had been quietly reduced.

’They must have thought this was a sure thing.’

But unexpectedly, the Ling family didn’t interfere at all, letting Shanshan make the decision herself.

The entire family had reached a tacit understanding to give the choice entirely to the child.

"Little Shanshan, how about considering our university?"

The vice-chancellor leaned in again, his tone eager and solicitous.

"Come to ours! All the classrooms are newly renovated. Even the air smells fragrant!"

Another recruiter quickly jumped in, emphatically promoting his university’s environmental advantages.

They looked at Shanshan expectantly, waiting for her to give a favorable response.

"Thank you, professors, but this is something I need to think about carefully."

A faint smile played on her lips. Her tone was polite but lukewarm as she shot a look at her fourth brother, signaling for him to show them out.

Her fourth brother immediately stepped forward and politely guided the recruiters toward the door.

Although the guests were disappointed, they couldn’t force the issue, so they could only leave their contact information and depart.

Once everyone was gone, her family quickly gathered around to ask.

"Shanshan, which one do you want to choose?"

Her grandmother took her hand, her eyes full of concern.

Her uncles and aunts also crowded around, waiting to hear her thoughts.

"I’ll decide after Dad comes back."

In truth, she wasn’t in the right frame of mind at all; her thoughts were completely consumed by Ling Anxun.

Hearing this, her family felt a mix of warmth and heartache.

Just as Shanshan was longing for him day and night, Ling Anxun finally returned.

He dragged his suitcase up the steps, his gait somewhat heavy.

The moment the door opened, all eyes were fixed on him.

But his face was as pale as paper, and he had lost a noticeable amount of weight.

He managed to force a smile and said in a hoarse voice, "I’m back."

Shanshan, who had been about to rush over, suddenly slowed her steps.

"Dad, you’re finally back."

As his daughter’s small, soft body plunged into his arms, the tension that had been gripping Ling Anxun finally eased.

After so many days of rushing about on the road, his heart had been heavy with unresolved matters.

It was only upon hearing his daughter’s voice and seeing her run toward him that the sense of security returned.

The house had only been quiet for a few days before the front door became as bustling as a marketplace.

Wave after wave of people came to visit, carrying large and small bags.

The Ling family’s threshold was nearly worn flat, and the tea in the living room was refilled round after round.

The relatives would sit and refuse to leave, the topic of conversation circling back again and again to the same thing: Shanshan’s future marriage prospects.

The Ling family had always been discerning in how they treated people; they didn’t greet just anyone with a smile, but were selective about whom they received.